Request for green slimer from a ZEOtank

[coralite]

Dears Sirs,

In two weeks, I will be going to the lab of Drs. Bill Fitz and Greg Shmidt in Athens GA to perform molecular analysis of samples of Pocillopora damicornis that I have been using in my research project. This particular lab is responsible for approximately half of the important papers that have been published regarding zooxanthellae in corals including the variability of Symbiodinium across small and large spatial scales, temporal scales, and the technique which is currently used to determine subclade (species) identification of symbiodinium was developed at this lab. In light of the recent thread by supertutu, I am interested in obtaining samples of a coral strain from ZEO and non- Zeotanks in order to make some definite observations about how corals are reacting to the environment created by the Zeovit method. Since green slimer is so prevalent and easily aquired, I am aiming to obtain some pieces of this coral from seasoned ZEOvit users. The sample(s) will need to be at least (a total of) 10cm/4in long and it is imperative that it comes from a MATURE zeovit tank so that the full effects of the ZEO environment are reflected in the sample coral. i will obtain samples of green slimer from local sources from traditional reef tanks for comparison. The sample coral will be tested for zooxanthellae type, zooxanthellae density and perhaps also protein concentration and pigment/protein blotting. The physiological state of the coral will need to be suspended by preserving the sample in 70% ethanol, if you do not have any I can provide some for you. I need to know who can participate pretty soon because I will need to send the ethanol, receive the coral and then prep the sample for transport among the many others I have to do. I am a poor college student so I can only afford to cover shipping expenses for two samples at a 2-3 day shipping rate. All contributions will be duly acknowledged when the study is published in an article and/or podcast. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

[Ger]

Jake, I think Scott's friend Brian has a a slimer in his ZEO tank....

[coralite]

Oh snap, I forgot that zeoheads are also sps snobs and not likely to have slimer anyway. Do you think I would get more hits if I was looking to compare tortuosa? I doubt people wanna give up a couple frags of their torts though.

[G.Alexander]

Jake, to make the experiment complete, a fresh fragment from a natural reef should be added or are there already data available ?

What do you think, will all wild collected corals from the same genius show the same analysis result even if they come from different reefs with different environments.

Thanks, Alexander

[coralite]

Hey Alex,
I am focusing on green slimer (A. youngei) because here in the US nearly everyone's stock originated from the same coral. it is like the stuber acro of the US. To my knowledge, very few slimers are actually imported from the wild and even if I picked one up fro the store, its physiology will have changed so much in transit that dta from it would be useless. And I dont exactly have the resources to go out and collect a fresh one. I guess my focus will be on showing the difference between the zeotank and a traditional tank and if i get some volunteers, I will do my best to compare the results to analyses of similar staghorn acros from the wild. As far as the effect of different natural reef environments, I wil take that into consideration when comparing to my results but you're right, the zoox density and type changes within the same coral, throughout the year, along a horizontal and vertical gradient and on and on. At some point we just have to accept the data that is available and go with it.

[G.Alexander]

Thanks Jake there is another question I like to ask

Let me give you a example. I place a coral in a captive system, lighting it with a bulb. Let me say a piece of the colony is stocked near the water surface (lots of light) and the other one near the tank bottom (less light). Could I not expect to get a different zoox density and maybe also different zoox type in those two corals even if they come from the same environment and colony ?

What I like to say is, it not necessary to compare those two corals (classical and zeo style kept) for zoox density and zoox type only if I provide the same light source and the same light intensity to get a significant result ?

I have no clue if this really plays a roll, it just came to my mind if I think deeper about the analysis.

Alexander

[coralite]

I place a coral in a captive system, lighting it with a bulb. Let me say a piece of the colony is stocked near the water surface (lots of light) and the other one near the tank bottom (less light). Could I not expect to get a different zoox density and maybe also different zoox type in those two corals even if they come from the same environment and colony ?

Absolutely right! even within the same coral, you are going to get some variability of light and water flow exposure. The zoox density is likely to be significantly different but the zoox type should be more or less the same, at least the dominant zoox. type should still be dominant. The difference can even be measured between the top of the branch and the underside of the branch, as you can clearly see when you have a speciment sitting in a brightspot of ilumination. This is part of the reason that I have requested a specific sample size, the tissue from the tip to the base and the lit and unlit sides will ****genized and it is my hope that the difference between corals from different systems will be greater than within individual colonies and systems.

For any given study, many assumptions have to be made in order to make comparisons between "different apples" and at some point I will have to make a judgement call in order to do the analysis but a good analysis will delineate where those judgements were made so that the reader is at liberty to make their own analysis.

Only the data will tell whether the results are so different that it must be a result of the different environments or there may not be enough difference to make that call.

[nbd13]

I have a huge green slimer colony, i wouldnt mind donating a frag to you for science; of course if you pay shipping ... i have been on zeo for a year now and this green slimer has been in the tank for about 7 months... here's a pic,



i could also give you a frag of this green slimer, different colony,



let me know Jake.

Nick

[coralite]

I will totally cover shipping for anyone who wants to send me samples. I am only interested in the "traditional" slimers that are likely to be from the same stock that dominates the US. shipping wont be that much because it only needs to be sent at a 2-3 day rate since the coral will be preserved anyway. Do you have access to 70% ethanol? if not I will send you some. Any other takers (givers)?

[nbd13]

forgot to say Jake, i can get 4" frags, only thing i would need is some 70% ethanol solution and your address of course.

forgot to ask would you like these corals mounted or unmounted?

when do you need these by? i am leaving saturday and will be gone until the 1st of march (going to Colorado to ski for 5 days) but i could cut them on the 2nd and send them out on the 3rd if that would work for you?

just let me know.

thanks Jake.

Nick

[nbd13]

also if you want traditional Slimer, then i think it would be best to go with the one in the first photo because the 2nd photo is of an aquacultured one....

or if you would like both of them that's not a problem either.

Nick

[coralite]

posting at the same time. . .
pm me your address, I'll send you some EtOH and you can send me the sample when you get back. you can cut, preserve and ship the same day since the coral will be dead anyway. I will be leaving town the 7th so if you send out the 2nd or 3rd that will be plenty of time for me to receive and process the sample.

[nbd13]

ok sounds good, PM on it's way!

Nick